Counting down to the back-to-back Ashes series in 2013/14

[from_the_stands]

I expect one of Warner or Cowen not to see out the Australian summer, willing to be proved wrong on that but with Cozzie, Hughes and indeed Finch putting on the runs we might be getting back to a stage where there is actually pressure on places again.

I reckon Warner is actually pretty safe. Ed Cowan on the other hand might not see out the Saffa series. He needs runs big time, especially with a Test average of less than 30. Phil Hughes and Mark Cosgrove are both lurking like a couple of sharks. Aaron Finch is a bit of a long shot at this point, particularly as he is skippering the Vic seconds, or the Baby Bushies as I like to think of them.

[Arthur Crabtree]

The examination by the South African bowlers will be detailed and ruthless. Can they even win in Perth? I can't see how Australia will survive this series. And with the surgery on Australian cricket so recent, the wounds scarcely healed, fragile, vulnerable tissue will be soon exposed and the team again hurled once more into crisis.

Excuse the melodramatic language. I'm watching Mark Gatiss' documentary on Euro-horror. I really will be cheering for the Aussies. But I think they will lose badly. And the risk to a recovering side is that, this being a bad time to lose, they won't know where to go next.

My advice? Call off the series and claim Australia need to play an ODI triangular tournament instead.

[Making_Splinters]

I expect one of Warner or Cowen not to see out the Australian summer, willing to be proved wrong on that but with Cozzie, Hughes and indeed Finch putting on the runs we might be getting back to a stage where there is actually pressure on places again.

I reckon Warner is actually pretty safe. Ed Cowan on the other hand might not see out the Saffa series. He needs runs big time, especially with a Test average of less than 30. Phil Hughes and Mark Cosgrove are both lurking like a couple of sharks. Aaron Finch is a bit of a long shot at this point, particularly as he is skippering the Vic seconds, or the Baby Bushies as I like to think of them.

If one of them goes bringing Cozzie in would be a solid selection especially with one eye on the Ashes, I get the feeling however that he's been overlooked because of his fitness. I like the look of Finch, though he seems to be not be viewed as a first class player at Shield level, never stopped Warner mind, maybe he might get a look in in the ODI side soon.

[from_the_stands]

I expect one of Warner or Cowen not to see out the Australian summer, willing to be proved wrong on that but with Cozzie, Hughes and indeed Finch putting on the runs we might be getting back to a stage where there is actually pressure on places again.

I reckon Warner is actually pretty safe. Ed Cowan on the other hand might not see out the Saffa series. He needs runs big time, especially with a Test average of less than 30. Phil Hughes and Mark Cosgrove are both lurking like a couple of sharks. Aaron Finch is a bit of a long shot at this point, particularly as he is skippering the Vic seconds, or the Baby Bushies as I like to think of them.

If one of them goes bringing Cozzie in would be a solid selection especially with one eye on the Ashes, I get the feeling however that he's been overlooked because of his fitness. I like the look of Finch, though he seems to be not be viewed as a first class player at Shield level, never stopped Warner mind, maybe he might get a look in in the ODI side soon.

I agree that fitness has been an issue with Baby Boof. I'd like to think that he could shed a few founds in the summer, but carrying the extra weight he does hasn't stopped him from scoring heavily throughout his domestic career. But perhaps these new selectors might take a chance on him anyway, who knows. I see him as the next best option at the top, at this point in time, followed by a resurging Phil Hughes.

Aaron Finch is an intersting one. He looks good in the short forms, but seems to miss out when the national players are back in domestic ranks. He could very well do a Warner, have a bumper domestic season, and find himself on the plane to England. With Shaun Marsh well and truly out of favour, and Usman Khawaja not scoring as many runs as he has in the previous two or three seasons, stranger things have been known to happen. Should Finch make it to international level in any form, his home town of Colac would go more bananas than they did when Cliff Young won the Sydney to Melbourne ultra marathon!

[Making_Splinters]

I expect one of Warner or Cowen not to see out the Australian summer, willing to be proved wrong on that but with Cozzie, Hughes and indeed Finch putting on the runs we might be getting back to a stage where there is actually pressure on places again.

I reckon Warner is actually pretty safe. Ed Cowan on the other hand might not see out the Saffa series. He needs runs big time, especially with a Test average of less than 30. Phil Hughes and Mark Cosgrove are both lurking like a couple of sharks. Aaron Finch is a bit of a long shot at this point, particularly as he is skippering the Vic seconds, or the Baby Bushies as I like to think of them.

If one of them goes bringing Cozzie in would be a solid selection especially with one eye on the Ashes, I get the feeling however that he's been overlooked because of his fitness. I like the look of Finch, though he seems to be not be viewed as a first class player at Shield level, never stopped Warner mind, maybe he might get a look in in the ODI side soon.

I agree that fitness has been an issue with Baby Boof. I'd like to think that he could shed a few founds in the summer, but carrying the extra weight he does hasn't stopped him from scoring heavily throughout his domestic career. But perhaps these new selectors might take a chance on him anyway, who knows. I see him as the next best option at the top, at this point in time, followed by a resurging Phil Hughes.

Aaron Finch is an intersting one. He looks good in the short forms, but seems to miss out when the national players are back in domestic ranks. He could very well do a Warner, have a bumper domestic season, and find himself on the plane to England. With Shaun Marsh well and truly out of favour, and Usman Khawaja not scoring as many runs as he has in the previous two or three seasons, stranger things have been known to happen. Should Finch make it to international level in any form, his home town of Colac would go more bananas than they did when Cliff Young won the Sydney to Melbourne ultra marathon!

Well fitness seems to the modern reason for keeping out player and Cozzie is and always has been a bit of a porker, still he is a class batsman and should be getting a look in should Cowen continue to fail and I'm not holding my breath over a sudden transformation into a Test class opener on his part. From what I've seen of Finch which is of course pretty much restricted to highlights I don't see why he is being overlooked in the longer formats, he's in red hot form and Australia are struggling over that last batsman in the ODI side.

[from_the_stands]

I read in the Herald Sun today that the Aussies will have a development squad playing in England whilst the Champions trophy is being played. The team will be lead by Ricky Ponting and will feature the Test specialists, along with some youngersters on the fringe. They will play four day games against Scotland and Ireland, and a three day game against Somerset, before linking up with the rest of the squad for two more County fixtures, before the first Ashes Test. Presumably, the Test specialists will include; Ed Cowan, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon and Ben Hilfenhaus. It was also suggested that Usman Khawaja and Phil Hughes would most likely be included. It seems that the brains trust down under are leaving no stone unturned.

[from_the_stands]

England's tour dates for their tour to Australia next year;

October 31-November 2 Western Australia XI v England, WACA
November 6-9 Australia A v England, Bellerive Oval, Hobart
November 13-16 New South Wales XI v England, SCG
November 21-25 Australia v England, 1st Test, Gabba
November 29-30 CA Chairman's XI v England, Manuka Oval, Canberra
December 5-9 Australia v England, 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval
December 13-17 Australia v England, 3rd Test, WACA
December 26-30 Australia v England, 4th Test, MCG
January 3-7 Australia v England, 5th Test, SCG

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/592380.html

[Dilbert]

The examination by the South African bowlers will be detailed and ruthless. Can they even win in Perth? I can't see how Australia will survive this series. And with the surgery on Australian cricket so recent, the wounds scarcely healed, fragile, vulnerable tissue will be soon exposed and the team again hurled once more into crisis.

Excuse the melodramatic language. I'm watching Mark Gatiss' documentary on Euro-horror. I really will be cheering for the Aussies. But I think they will lose badly. And the risk to a recovering side is that, this being a bad time to lose, they won't know where to go next.

My advice? Call off the series and claim Australia need to play an ODI triangular tournament instead.

I cant find a suitable smiley to use here.... May I just point you in the direction of the humble pie thread instead?

[Arthur Crabtree]

It was a tongue in cheek post. I thought SA would win the series, and they haven't lost it yet. But this post was intended as exaggeration for a possibly comic effect. Well done to the Aussies though, and good to see them getting these runs out of their system before the double Ashes.

[from_the_stands]

It was a tongue in cheek post. I thought SA would win the series, and they haven't lost it yet. But this post was intended as exaggeration for a possibly comic effect. Well done to the Aussies though, and good to see them getting these runs out of their system before the double Ashes.

Getting the runs out of their system, indeed. The Aussies are just getting warmed up. When we get rid of Quiney and possibly Punter, and sort out our bowling attack, look out!

[Dilbert]

It was a tongue in cheek post. I thought SA would win the series, and they haven't lost it yet. But this post was intended as exaggeration for a possibly comic effect. Well done to the Aussies though, and good to see them getting these runs out of their system before the double Ashes.

I know, was just pulling your leg

[Dilbert]

It was a tongue in cheek post. I thought SA would win the series, and they haven't lost it yet. But this post was intended as exaggeration for a possibly comic effect. Well done to the Aussies though, and good to see them getting these runs out of their system before the double Ashes.

Getting the runs out of their system, indeed. The Aussies are just getting warmed up. When we get rid of Quiney and possibly Punter, and sort out our bowling attack, look out!

When you get rid of Quiney and possibly Punter, and sort out your bowling attack, and get Twatto match fit and get a better wicket keeper, and learn to play better in English conditions, and improve the consistency of Warner and.....

Yeah well, we are sorting out the English for you anyway

[Dilbert]

On a different note, you did back Punter in your FL team, FTS

[Arthur Crabtree]

Clarke's going to have a back injury next UK summer. Ponting could be captain.

Clarke be number one batter after this match.

[from_the_stands]

When you get rid of Quiney and possibly Punter, and sort out your bowling attack, and get Twatto match fit and get a better wicket keeper, and learn to play better in English conditions, and improve the consistency of Warner and.....

Yeah well, we are sorting out the English for you anyway

Twatto for Quiney. Usman Khawaja for Punter. As for the bowling, two words; Mitchell Starc! He had a bumper season for Yorkshire, and will have another one when he returns to the sunny shores of England. And a series sweep in India should have the Poms in termoil, just in time for a double hammering next year by the soon to be crowned number one Test team in the world!